Railway journal lubricator



Feb. 8, 1938. J. J. HENNESSY 2,107,414

RAILWAY JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed June 30, 1934 H -uw if 027-2 5 IM/dawesi/igig Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STE NT OFIQ RAILWAY JOURNALLUBRICATOR James J. Hennessy, New York, N. Y.

Application June 30, 1934, Serial No. 733,229

17 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricators for axle bearings and particularlyrailway vehicle journal bearings.

Patent No. 1,704,743, issued to the present in- Ventor, illustrates ajournal bearing lubricator comprising a pump located in the box cellaror reservoir and a distributor adjacent the journal, the pump pistonbeing actuated to deliver oil to the distributor by a contact rodextension held by a spring in engagement with the adjacent wheel hub.The pump actuator is intermittently forced inwardly against the springpressure by lateral play of the wheel and journal relative to thejournal box and pump. This lateral play,

however, is not uniform and to prevent irregularities therein fromcausing the delivery to the journal of widely varying quantities oflubricant, the extent of reciprocation of the contact rod is limited bya bushing frictionally seated in the contact rod housing and positionedbetween spaced stops on the rod.

Where the movement of the pump actuator is limited as described above,only a fraction of the lateral play of the hub is utilized and,accordingly, the contactrod must be carefully adjusted to properlycooperate therewith. Due to unavoidable variations in the dimensions ofthe journal boxes, in the thicknesses of the hub liners, and in thepositioning of the lubricator in the box cellar, means must be providedpermitting accurate adjustment of the contact rod after installation ofthe lubricator. While the contact rod limiting bushing shown in theabove patent will be automatically adjusted after the device has been inoperation for a substantial length of time, no means is provided forimmediately insuring the proper delivery of oil when the device firstbegins to operate after installation or after the box hub liner has beenchanged.

An important object of the present invention is to provide meansfacilitating quick and accurate automatic adjustment of the contact rodactuator in a limited delivery lubricator of the above type.

Another object is to provide means for adjusting and limitingreciprocation of the contact rod actuator, which means is controlledfrom outside the journal box.

These and other more detailed objects here- 50 after appearing areattained by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich--- Figure 1 is a vertical section through a locomotive driving boxand cellar and taken on the line ll of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a View corresponding to Figure 1 but showing a modification.

Figure 4 is a sectional View corresponding to Figure 3 but showinganother modification.

.In Figures 1 and 2, the invention is shown applied to a locomotivedriving box including side Walls i, for engaging the underframe pedestaljaws (not shown), and the crown bearing brass 2 resting upon the journalportion 3 of the axle. Positioned in the lower portion of the drivingbox beneath the journal is the cellar 4 deepened at its inner portion toform the lubricant reservoir 5.

Located within the reservoir 5 is a pump body 6 having a suction inlet6a and provided at the bottom with a screen i and leading at the toppast ball check 8 to the horizontal pump cylinder 9. Receiving thecylinder 9 is a chambered housing ill extending horizontally through thecellar to the rear wall I! thereof. The pump piston i2 is actuatedwithin cylinder 9 by a contact rod l3 extending through a cylindricalchamber i3a in the outer part of housing It! and through end wall l i. Aspring l5 constantly urges the piston and contact rod outwardly andmaintains the contact rod in engagement with the adjacent face of thewheel hub M. It will be understood that during normal operation of thevehicle the wheel and journal will have lateral play relative to thejournal box, causing reciprocation of the pump piston to draw lubricantfrom the reservoir past ball check 8 and then force the same past ballcheck It through passages l? and i8 and the tube E9 to the distributor26 maintained adjacent the journal. The distributor may be in the formof a pan packed with suitable waste or felt material. The details of thepump and distributor referred to are more fully described in co-pendingapplication Serial No. 558,719, filed August 22, 1931 in the name of thepresent inventor. v

The contact rod l3 passes through a fixed collar 2! in chamber l3a and abushing 22 closely fitting this chamber but slidable therein. A spring23 compressed between collar 2! and bushing 22 urges the bushingoutwardly towards the annulus 24 on the contact rod. A bushing 25frictionally secured in chamber 13a is in position to be engaged byannulus 2*? to prevent complete ejection of the contact rod from casingit) under the influence of springs l5 and 23 when the lubricator isremoved from the box.

Located in a chamber 26 within the housing iii and extending above andparallel to the chamber i3a and cylinder 9.is a plunger 21 having itsleft end portion hollow and seating a coiled spring 28 and telescopinglyreceiving the inner end of a pin 29. A small pin 30 extends through theplunger 21 and a slot 31 in pin 29 and prevents disassembly of thelatter and plunger 21 under the influence of spring 28. Pin 29 has atapering outer end 32 for engaging a detent 33, in the operativeposition shown, and urging the same downwardly against bushing 22 tofrictionally secure the same within the chamber l3a against movement byspring 23. The bushing, when so secured, will be engaged by a small pin34 projecting laterally from the contact rod to limit outward movementof the rod. A spring 35 is compressed between shoulder 36 at the lefthand end of chamber 26 and the left hand end of hollow plunger 21 andurges the plunger and pin assembly towards the right and away from itsoperative association with the detent 33. The plunger .21 has a knob 31at its right hand or inner end which is disposed ,to be engaged by thecover plate 38 of the journal box, when the latter is in its normalclosed position, to maintain the pin 29 in engagement with the detent33, this engagement being cushioned by the spring 28. The cover issecured in position by a bolt 39 extending through lugs 49 on thecellar.

When the cover plate 38 is removed from the driving box, spring 35 willcause the frictional pressure on bushing 22 through detent 33 to bereleased and the piston spring l5 may then force the contact rodoutwardly as far as permitted by inder and a part spaced therefromwithin which.

the hub l4. The bushing, when released, will be held against collar 24by spring 23. When the cover plate is replaced, the bushing will besecured in its assumed position by detent 33, pin 29 and plunger 21. Incase the hub is not at its innermost position when the loose bushing isthus set, the first inward movement of the hub will force the collar 24and bushing 22 inwardly notwithstanding the pressure applied 7 throughdetent 33. Reciprocation of the contact rod will 'then be restricted tothe distance between the pin 34 and the adjacent edge of bushing 22,this reciprocation being substantially 'constant regardless of theamount of lateral play of the Wheel and journal relative to the journalbox.

In Figure 3, the housing 4| within the cellar 42 corresponds with thelower part of casing 10 in the previous form, including the pump cylislocated the loose bushing 43 and the pump actuating contact rod 44.Projecting above the housing 4! is a perforated boss 45 receiving thedetent 45. bushing 43 through the detent 46 by means of a lever 41pivotedto an arm 48 on the housing 4i and a rod 49 extending through thefloor of the cellar 42 and engaging the spacer bar 50. The cellar flooris built up around the rod, as at 5|, to prevent the loss of lubricantthrough theopening provided in the cellar floor for the rod. Acompressed spring 52 engages the collar 53 on the rod and urges the samedownwardly so.

that when the spacer plate is removed, frictional pressure on thebushing 43 will be released, permitting extension of the contact rod aspreviously described. 7

In Figure 4, the sliding bushing 54, corresponding to the bushing 22 inFigures 1 and 2 and 43 in Figure 3, is frictionally positioned withinhousing 55 by means of mechanism operatively as- Frictional pressure isapplied to the sociated with the spacer as in Figure 3. Secured to thefloor of the cellar 56 adjacent the housing 55 is an upright tube 51with an internal fixed bushing 58. Slidable within bushing 58 is aplunger '59 urged downwardly against spacer 50 through an opening in thefloor of cellar 56 by a spring 6| compressed between the fixed bushing58 and the shouldered lower portion of the plunger.

Plunger 59 carries a strip 52 of spring matebushing 54 to frictionallyposition the same so as to limit the reciprocation of the pistonactuator 64 as described above. The extremity of strip 82 engages a lip55 at the lower end of ,a I

slot 66 in the inner side of tube 51.

When the spacer 50 is removed, the plunger 59 and the spring 62 willmove downwardly under the influence of spring GI and the extremity ofstrip 62 will slide down the inclined edge of lip 55, causing furtherflexing of the spring strip by cam action and withdrawal of nubbin 53from engagement with bushing 54. When the plunger is forced upwardly bythe spacer or any other means, the nubbin 63 will be again moved againstbushing 54 by spring 62. A pin 58 extending through tube 51 and a slot51 in plunger 59 prevents disassembly of the plunger, coiled spring 6!,and tube when the spacer is removed.

In each of. the forms, the loose bushing and frictional detent areillustrated as separate parts, but these maybe rigidly connected inaonepiece device, in which case the detent will be positioned in asuitable slot in the housing. Adjustment of the contact rod to properlycooperate with the hub will be quickly, accurately, and automaticallyeffected. Whenever the lubricator is removed or changed, the pumpactuating contact rod will automatically adjust itself. The loosebushing is controlled preferably by a memher which will be placed in itsoperative position after the lubricator has been assembled with the box.The proper adjustment of the lubricator requires no efforts other thanthe closing of the box lid or the replacement of the spacer bar.

Obviously the contact rod limiting bushing may be similarly controlledby other means and also the invention may be modified as to details forattaining substantially similar results. The

position and details of the lubricator itself are not essential and, infact, any suitable lubricating mechanism utilizing a reciprocatingactuator may be substituted for the pump shown. The exclusive use of allsuch modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims iscontemplated.

' I claim:

1. In combination, a vehicle journal lubricant cellar structure having aremovable wall part, a journal lubricator including an actuating memberoperable by an adjacent element movable relative thereto during normaloperation of the vehicle, and means rendered operable by assembly ofsaid removable part with the rest of the structure for limiting theextent of movement of said actuating member.

2. In combination, a journal lubricant cellar having an opening, alubricator insertable through said opening and including a reciprocatingactuator and mechanism for limiting the reciprocation of said actuator,means for securing said mechanism in a predetermined limiting position,and a closure member for said opening disposed to engage said means tonormally maintain said mechanism in said limiting position.

3. In combination, a journal lubricator including a longitudinallyreciprocating actuator, a device limiting the reciprocation of saidactuator, meansfor securing said device in operative position, a springurging said securing means away from its operative association with saiddevice, and a member normally maintaining said securing means in saidoperative position and manually movable to render said limiting deviceinoperative.

4. In combination, a journal lubricant cellar having a closure member, alubricator retained in said cellar by said member and including areciprocating actuator, a variable device for limiting the reciprocationof said actuator, means controlled by said closure member for releasablysecuring said device in the predetermined limiting position, and meansnormally urging said securing means away from its operative associationwith said limiting means whereby said limiting means will be renderedinoperative when said closure member is removed.

5. Lubricating mechanism for a vehicle journal including an actuator, anadjustable device limiting the extent of movement of said actuator, andmeans for securing said limiting device in an operative position, saidsecuring means being releasable from outside the mechanism to rendersaid limiting device inoperative, and said actuator being operativelyassociated with said limiting device in a manner to permit adjustment ofsaid limiting device thereby when said securing means is inoperative.

6. In combination, a vehicle journal lubricant cellar, a journallubricator inside said cellar including a housing and an actuator, adevice movably mounted in said housing for limiting the reciprocation ofsaid actuator, means urging said actuator and said device towards oneextreme of movement, and releasable structure normally securing saiddevice in an actuator limiting position against the influence of saidmeans, said limiting device being automatically adjustable duringinitial operation of the vehicle after said structure has been renderedoperative and said structure maintaining said device in the adjustedposition against said means.

'7. In combination, a lubricator including a housing and alongitudinally reciprocating actuator therein, a fixed stop adjacentsaid actuator and a cooperating stop on said actuator spaced from saidfixed stop, a bushing in said housing and between said stops, a springurging said bushing towards one of said stops, a device for applyingfrictional pressure to said bushing to yieldingly secure the same in thepredetermined limiting position, and means for manually releasing saidfrictional pressure to permit adjustment of said bushing by means ofsaid actuator.

8. Structure as defined in claim '7 with the addition of a spring insaid housing normally urging said actuator outwardly, said firstmentioned spring maintaining said bushing against the outer of saidstops when the frictional pressure on said bushing is released.

9. In combination, a vehicle journal lubricant cellar, a journallubricator therein including a lateral motion actuator for engaging theadjacent wheel hub and having spaced stops, a device located betweensaid stops for limiting the reciprocation of said actuator, spring meansurg ing said actuator against the wheel hub and said device against theouter of said stops, and releasable mechanism for yieldingly securingsaid device in the limiting position determined by the innermostmovement of the wheel hub.

10. In combination, a vehicle journal lubricant cellar having a closuremember, a lubricator therein including a housing and a hub contactingactuator, there being a fixed stop adjacent said actuator and a stop onsaid actuator spaced from said fixed stop, a loose bushing in saidhousing between said stops, a device for applying frictional pressure tosaid bushing to secure the same in position and thereby limit movementof said actuator, and means controlled by said closure member forreleasing said frictional pressure to permit adjustment of said bushing.

11. In combination, journal lubricating mechanism including areciprocating actuator and a chambered housing, a variable device forlimiting the reciprocation of said actuator, means for securing saiddevice in the predetermined limiting position comprising a plunger insaid housing, a pin engaging said devce, a spring connecting saidplunger and said pin, and a movable member normally engaging saidplunger and maintaining said pin operatively associated with saiddevice.

12. In combination, journal lubricating mechanism including a lubricantpump having a cylinder and a longitudinally reciprocating pistonactuator, spaced stops on said actuator, a bushing surrounding saidactuator between said stops and of less length than the distancetherebetween, a detent loosely mounted in said housing adjacent saidbushing, and manually controllable means for urging said detent againstsaid bushing to frictionally maintain the latter in the predeterminedlimiting position in said housing.

13. A railway locomotive driving box including a spacer, a lubricator insaid box including a reciprocating actuator, a device for limiting thereciprocation of said actuator, means for securing said member in apredetermined limiting position and including said spacer, and a springurging said means away from its securing position and rendering saiddevice inoperative when said spacer is removed.

14. In combination, a vehicle journal lubricator including areciprocating actuator, a variable device for limiting the reciprocationof said actuator, and yielding means independently operable tofacilitate adjustment of said device.

15. In combination, a vehicle journal lubricator including areciprocating actuator, a variable device for limiting the reciprocationof said actuator, structure .for yieldin-gly maintaining said device inthe predetermined limiting position, and cam action means for releasingsaid device from the influence of said structure to facilitateadjustment of said device.

16. In combination, a railway journal box, a journal, a lubricatortherefor including a body, a removable closure for said body, a pump anda pump actuating member arranged for engagement with an element movablewith the journal, a device for limiting the pump actuating movement ofsaid member, said pump, member and device being located in said body,and means operable by the application and removal of said closure forrendering said device effective or ineifective respectively.

17. In combination, a railway journal box, a journal, a lubricatortherefor including a body, a pump and a pump actuating member arrangedfor engagement with an element movable with the journal, a device forlimiting the pump actuating movement of said member, said pump,

member and device being located in said body,

